MOTHER PLEADS GUILTY TO INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN HEROIN/FENTANYL OVERDOSE DEATH OF HER 11 MONTH OLD TODDLER AND IS SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON

Posted on 1/27/2017

Defendant: Denise Nicole Dickinson

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “It is unacceptable when we see a tragic and avoidable death of an innocent toddler from a heroin and fentanyl overdose.” Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced that Denise Nicole Dickinson, age 33, plead guilty today to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter (F-1) in connection to the death of her 11 month old toddler, Dominic Dickinson, which was a proximate result of the toddler ingesting narcotics while in the care of his parents on May 13, 2015. In the early afternoon that day, police received a call saying there was a baby at 1494 Blaine Drive that was not breathing. Medics responded at the home where the family lived, and pronounced the baby deceased shortly thereafter. It was later determined that the baby had lethal doses of heroin and fentanyl in his system, which caused his death. Following her plea today Dickinson was sentenced to eight years in prison. “The toddler’s father, Kyle Black plead guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in May of 2016 and was sentenced to nine years in prison,” O’Brien stated.